“Button,” Espiritu Santo

The sun is starting to come out again.

Fletcher Brown, of VP23, brought me a bottle of Scotch which Patu had given him for me in Hawaii. Brown was down here with 23 before and returned to Hawaii and the states with our former “South Pacific contingent.” His description of leave in the states didn’t sound too alluring. He stated that he was pretty sure we’d have a choice of duty when we got back. Said we’ve become quite a famous squadron throughout the Pacific.

At the O Club this afternoon I ran into L. Ditto (Lt. USNR) with whom I returned from the East Indies with in early ’42. He was a survivor of the Langley debacle south of Java. Offered him a ride on patrol, which he accepted. He’s returning to the states in a few days, as a result of a general order to ComSoPac from ComPac requesting the return of all who had been down here since last August.